The present invention relates to a connector for connecting a flexible board such as FPC to a connected board such as a printed circuit board.
Generally, the connector is used for connecting the flexible board such as FPC to a mounted board that is built into an electronic device in such a manner that the flexible board is inserted into the connector and is electrically connected to the mounted board of the electronic device.
For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the connector 1 for the flexible board 2 includes a housing 4 having a board insertion portion 3 into which a terminal portion of the flexible board 2 is inserted and a plurality of contacts 5 held in the housing 4. Resilient contact piece portions 5a of the contacts 5 project into the board insertion portion 3 and contact with the terminal portion of the flexible board 2, which is inserted into the board insertion portion 3, so that the flexible board 2 is electrically connected to a connected board 6 through the contacts 5.
The housing 4 made of synthetic resin material is integrally formed with a bottom board 4a, wall portions 4b that are disposed at a periphery of the bottom board 4a and a top board 4c that is opposed to the bottom board 4a through the wall portions 4b. The housing 4 is formed with the board insertion portion 3 that opens to a side surface of the housing 4 in a laterally extending manner, and is disposed between the bottom board 4a and the top board 4c. Patent Document 1:JP-A-2002-359024
However, in the related art described above, stress caused from elastic deformation of the contact (the resilient contact piece portions) affects the top board and the bottom board of the housing through the flexible board and the contact reaction force receiving portion or the like, so that the top board and the bottom board, made of synthetic resin material, are deformed and a suitable contact state thereof may not be maintained. Both of the top board and the bottom board have to be designed to have a certain thickness in order to prevent such deformation, thereby hindering miniaturization (reducing the thickness).